Death Note: Re-Note
by Andre Molina
Summary: The Angel of Death returns. As Raiden Ozaku becomes disillusioned by corruption and rising crime rates, the Shinigami Ryuk has seen the activities on Earth. Bored with the same routine in the Shinigami realm, he decides to drop his Death Note once again, in hopes of returning to Earth and having some more fun... And as luck would have it, it is Raiden who picks up the Death Note...
1. The Dark Angel

** Death Note: Re-Note**

The Dark Angel

My name is Ryuk. I am a Shinigami of the Shinigami realm. Some years ago I witnessed the most interesting events in human history unfold before my very eyes. An individual known only as Kira attempted to change the world for the better by killing criminals and anyone in the way of what the world he was attempting to create. Using the Death Note, the notebook of a Shinigami in which the names of those who will die are written, Kira became a God to the world. Of course, he was simply a human… His real name was Light Yagami. He was perhaps the most disturbed and yet intriguing human I had ever come across. Manipulative, cunning, and intelligent, Light Yagami used his skills to best those who wished to stop him as well as control those who wished to join him. Misa, a popular actress and model at the time, became his apprentice, the second Kira. Her power was even greater than Light's since she had made the Shinigami deal for the eyes that allowed you to see a person's name.

However, L, the super detective who had solved many of the most difficult and unusual cases the world had ever known, became Kira's thorn. L was perhaps smarter than Light Yagami, but also humble. He enjoyed the company of good people and was most of the time a 'sweet guy' as they say. He delighted in coffee and sweets of all kinds. But when it came to the art of investigation, L was the best of the best. He knew in his heart from practically the very beginning that Light Yagami was in fact Kira and was willing to do anything to reveal the truth. But Light Yagami devised a plan which had him lose his memory of the notebook. With this, L's plan to reveal the truth about Light Yagami failed. Eventually a new Kira resurfaced, seemingly the real Kira. And the focus of the investigation was turned. Eventually that Kira was caught and as planned the memories of the Death Note were returned to Light Yagami.

Light Yagami's next moves were to kill more criminals, using Misa once more. Eventually, L found himself a victim of Kira's wrath. Light took his place as L. A few years went by and no results came from the investigation. But the end came swiftly. Near, L's successor, and Mello, another of L's successors, wreaked havoc on Light Yagami's reign as a God. In some would say desperation, Light turned to a man named Mikami to be his right hand. Mikami, however, became rash and acted on his own which quickly led to Near finding the other notebook. Light Yagami was caught. A victim of his own ego and overconfidence… And so I killed him… for his time was up… and I was bored… That is the story of Light Yagami… Kira…

Twenty-five years had passed since the death of Light Yagami, the one the world knew as Kira. The Death Note taken by Near had become proof of the existence of a higher power. But Near and the SPK members had to keep the existence of the Death Note a secret. The official statement had been that the one known as Kira had been killed in a fire fight, but the method which was used to commit his murders was never revealed. Eventually after popular vote among the SPK members, the Death Notes were said to have been destroyed, thus ridding the world of what humans would probably call the most dangerous weapons in the world. With the loss of their 'God' Kira's followers revolted for several years, but eventually most of them abandoned the Kira religion and returned to a life of normalcy. By the sixth year, the remaining Kira loyalists became a terrorist group. Their goal was to cause destruction in the name of Kira. However, as the years went by the KLG became more concerned with robbing banks and funding their underground empire. By the fourteenth year, the crime rate had begun to rise again as the world returned to its usual routine.

This was the result of Light's actions. It was unfortunate. But crime had only been stalled during Kira's time. Light's world had fallen apart quickly after his death. After eighteen years, Kira's God like status was reverted to nothing more than a terrorist… And finally after twenty-two years, with the exception of the KLG, most of the world had renounced Kira… The shinigami realm was as boring as usual. And I sort of wanted to see what would happen if I dropped my notebook again into the human world. I had to admit I didn't expect to feel so regretful in having killed Light Yagami and ending all the fun. But Light Yagami would have died anyway. Even still, fifteen years passed and I quickly got bored of the usual routine. I missed the human world… I missed the apples... Plus I wanted those other Death Notes back. I'm pretty sure the humans must have destroyed it, but still… So I decided that I'd have myself one more thrill in the human world. I dropped my death note into the human world as I did before and waited.

In the human world, there lived a boy named Raiden Ozaku. He was a seventeen year old student. He was a tall young man, handsome, with long black hair, pale skin, and blue eyes. He was popular with the girls. However, he kept to himself mostly. He was very intelligent, perhaps more intelligent than most students and yet he lived a modest student life. He studied psychology and planned to focus on the career. His mother had been killed in from of him when he was a little boy. His father, Raito Ozaku worked for the ICPO. So was barely at home to take care of the family. His grandmother, Yumi Nataka, was an old sick woman. And his two siblings were each under the age of six… He was silently angry at the world… at the betrayal, corruption, and violence inflicted on the innocent… at the rising crime rate… He was angry that the world had reverted to its old ways… as though it had never been through a revolution… At his mother's grave, he swore to her that he would change the world…

The date was March 13th. It was pouring that morning as he opened the front door to his house. His grandmother was still sleeping. His father was at work as usual. As he walked to school, his umbrella in hand, he saw a notebook… just lying there in the middle of the street… and he picked it up… _Death Note… What a strange title… What's it doing here in the middle of the road? Someone must have dropped it I suppose… There's something written inside. The human whose name is written in this note shall die. Strange, what an odd thing to write… _Raiden Ozaku found himself debating whether or not to take the book. Something about the book tempted him. He checked his watch and realized that he would be late for school. _I suppose I can just take it… I'll figure it out later… _Raiden placed the notebook in his bag and continued on his way to school. In time he would find out just how special the notebook really was.

I decided not to wait. I was quite impatient. After all, I had waited some years to come back to the human world. It was ridiculous for me to wait a few days. Besides, I had a feeling Raiden would be just as interesting as Light was, if not more… And so I jumped into the portal between the realm of the Shinigami and the human world. I came into the human world during a storm once before. What a coincidence to have it rain as I entered the human world once again. In no time I found my way to Ozaku's school. There he was sitting in his classroom learning some boring lesson. I remember spending time in Light's classes. It was a small sacrifice for some fun and apples… Apples… I wanted an apple so bad now… I tried to keep hidden while I waited for the boy to finish his day of classes... What I wouldn't give for an apple.

The classes ended, much to my relief. I watched behind the bushes as Raiden walked down the road back to his home. It was still raining. Barely had stopped for more than an hour…

Once I felt he was finally alone, I decided to make my presence known. Raiden was turning a corning. I decided to meet him there. I flew past him without him seeing and stood in the corner. "Hello, Raiden…"

"What is- What the…" Raiden fell to the ground, frightened by me. I enjoyed scaring humans. "What- what are you!?"

"I am the Shinigami Ryuk… You have something of mine."

_Am I dreaming? This can't be real… What does he mean I have something of his? What could it be…? Wait… the notebook? Death Note...?_

"The notebook…" Raiden said calmly as he stood up. "It's yours. Isn't it?"

"Yes. It is. Or rather it was. From the moment the Death Note touches ground of the human world, it becomes the property of the human who first picks it up. In short, you are now the sole owner of the Death Note. It isn't that I care if you use it or not. In fact, if you don't want to use it, you can just give it back to me, in which case I'll have no choice but to erase your memory of the Death Note. Of course as a God of Death, it's suggested I at least tell you about the Death Note. The Death Note gives its owner the power to kill people simply by writing down the victim's name. Of course the note will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind. Therefore, persons sharing the same name will not be affected."

"The rules are all written in the notebook, so in any case you can look through the book and read the rules. But as I have said, this Death Note is yours. You may choose to give up ownership, or use it as you wish."

"As for me, I simply am required to stay here until the Death Note is finished or until I see you die, whichever comes first."

Raiden stood there shocked. He was holding the Death Note in his hands now. He looked up at me. At first I expected to find his face filled with terror. But Raiden Ozaku had a menacing smirk on his face. And then an all too familiar evil laughter came out of him…

"You've been here before, haven't you?" Raiden asked. "You've brought the Death Note to the human world before haven't you?"

"Maybe…" I said with a chuckle.

"You gave this notebook to Kira… Didn't you?" Raiden continued ask.

"Very well, you caught me. Smart kid… Yes, I did bring a Death Note to this world once before… Not this one… another one… I came back for it. There's two Death Notes here in the human world… three if you count the one that I dropped. "

"So Kira had a Death Note…" Raiden spoke quietly. "What do you want from me?"

"I simply want you to help me find the other Death Notes… What you do with the one you have is your own decision… So Raiden Ozaku… What do you say…?"

Raiden's facial expression was that of shock and delight all at once as he tried to make sense of what he was hearing, of what he was seeing…

"Why do you give me this?"

"There it is again, the unfailing arrogance of humans. Why is it that you always think you've somehow been chosen? I dropped the notebook. It landed on that street, and you just happened to be the one to pick it up. I might have dropped it purposely but you finding the notebook had been nothing more than a happy coincidence. Frankly, the main reason why I dropped the notebook is the same reason I've done it before… well besides the fact that I also hope to find the other two notebooks if possible… But mostly, I was just bored…"

"You were bored...?"

"Mhmm… Shinigami get bored too you know… It's no fun doing nothing all day and never really sleeping. Could you imagine an eternity of the same job over and over and over… sometimes we Shinigami need something more interesting to do with our time… Atleast this one does…"

"What do you want me to do with this then?" Raiden asked me. I was beginning to think the boy was not up for it. It mattered not. I'd just find someone else.

"Nothing you don't want to do, Raiden Ozaku… Simply return the notebook to me if you don't want it. Otherwise, if you want to use it, you can use it as you see fit."

"Hmm…" the boy began to think to himself out loud as we started walking down the street towards his home. "The person whose name is written in this notebook shall die… Would I be willing to write someone's name down? Could I? What if I could do what Kira couldn't… Crime has been rising lately. I am witness to the consequences of that. My mother was killed by a car thief. Ever since I've wanted revenge… I've wanted justice…"

"Well I'm sorry to hear that I suppose." I replied though I felt no remorse since I knew the shinigami who had killed his mother. "I'd try to imagine your sorrow and all, but I'm hungry."

"Hungry?" Raiden replied. "Do I have to trade something for it? Like my soul?

_Humans and their silly superstitions…_

"The only price to be paid is the feelings you will experience when using the Death Note. But I have a good feeling about you... You might actually enjoy it. Of course in the end, the decision is yours… so… What's it gonna be Raiden?"

"I'll… keep it…" he replied to my delight. "For now…"

"Very well, as you wish…" I said to him. _Humans are a complicated but interesting species. It almost makes me regret killing them with my Death Note… almost… Gotta love those humans… so interesting… I almost forgot how much fun humans can be._

"Wait, can people see you?" he asked as he made it to the door. "My family would freak out if they saw you. What if someone saw you while we were walking down the street just now?"

"Don't worry. Only those who have touched the notebook can see me. Just make sure they don't touch the notebook themselves, otherwise they'd see me too."

A young girl came walking down the stairs followed by two little kids. She looked quite young, almost looked like a young teenager. Her name was Kyoko Takamo. She was a twenty year old young woman taking care of the two little kids in the family, Rei and Juno. Their father was a special investigator of the ICPO and worked late nights, which meant that Kyoko would babysit for the two little ones while Raiden was away at school.

"Hey Rain. How was school? Your father will be working late tonight again."

"Hi Kyoko… That's fine… School was alright I suppose. Same stuff as usual. I'm going up to my room to study. Please don't disturb me."

"That's fine. I'll be cooking tonight. Once the kids go to bed, you and I can watch a movie or something. Sound good, handsome?"

"Very well… I have to go study now." He replied as he turned to the stairs.

"As you wish, Rain…" She said with a wink. "Come on kids, into the living room we go."

Raiden walked up the stairs and headed to his room. _Please have apples… please have apple… please have apples _I thought to myself as we made it to his room. He opened the door and walked in as I followed behind him. When he closed the door, he walked up to the desk which was right in front of his window and put down his back next to the chair and placed the notebook on the desk. I looked around. _No apples… What kind of human doesn't have apples in his room!? That's just not normal…_

"Do you have apples by any chance?" I asked as calmly as I could. I didn't want to seem desperate. My body was beginning to twitch just thinking about human apples.

"Apples…?" Raiden asked as he stared down at the Death Note. "There's one in the cooler by the TV there… Help yourself I guess…"

"Oh yes!" I said as I took out the apple quickly. "I knew there was something about you I liked! By the way, why does Kyoko call you Rain? And who are the two little ones?"

"Um… She omits 'D' and 'E' out my name and calls me Rain sometimes... and they are my siblings, adopted... Now about this notebook, I assume in exchange for the ability to use the Death Note as I see fit, you want me to help you find the other Death Notes."

"Well yes…" I mumbled as I munched on a delicious apple. "Oh yes… this is good, yes… juicy…"

"What will you do for me?"

"What? The notebook isn't enough? Man, you humans can be very demanding…"  
"How do you know the other notebooks have not already been destroyed?"  
"I don't… They aren't… terribly important though." I said as I swallowed the rest of the apple. "I just thought it would be nice to have them both… um so, got any more apples?"

"Fine, Ryuk… I'll help you find the other Death Notes. But as for this notebook, I will use it to rid the world of criminals as I see fit. I will do what the one that came before me could not do. I will bring about true justice to the world and rid the world of all its vermon. I shall be Kira. I will succeed where the one that came before me failed. I will be the angel of vengeance, the angel of justice, and the angel of death all together."

_This is going to be very interesting… I'm aching with anticipation… Of course it could just be that I could use another apple… Still… Raiden Ozaku... what an interesting young boy… He might prove to be even more fun that Light… Ugh if only he had another apple…_

A menacing laughter escaped him as he stood there looking down at the Death Note. It was amusing to witness the rebirth of Kira. Vengeance was at hand for Raiden Ozaku. He was about to embark on the path towards his destiny. His promise to his mother would be fulfilled. He would change the world. He would make the world a better place. He would rid the world of evil… This was his promise. This was his destiny. He would become Kira…

"I shall be the dark angel…" He said as he looked out into the world from his window.  
_Humans never stop amusing me…_ I thought to myself as I laughed quietly.


	2. His Judgment

Judgment

"So where do we start?" asked Rain the next morning as he sat his desk.

"Why are you asking me? Did you think you I'd just tell you?" I laughed sarcastically.

"Ryuk, if you want to find the Death Notes, you're going to have to give me a few hints to where they might be. You do want to find the notebooks after all, don't you?"

"Very well, I suppose I can contribute a little to the search. As far as I know, they're probably still in the hands of the same guys who beat the last Kira."  
"And let me guess…" Rain said with a sigh. "You aren't going to tell me their names so that maybe I can manipulate them to bring me the notebook before I kill them."

_Hmm… he's smart…_ "How do you know the notebook works like that?"

"Come on Ryuk." He said as he took an apple out of his backpack. "I stayed up all night reading these rules and becoming acquainted with the Death Note. It's safe to say I know quite a bit about the Death Note now. So are you going to tell me their names or not?"

"Of course not… Not that I don't like you. But I have this thing about helping humans… I don't do it… Now about that apple in your hand…?"

"Ah very well then…" Raiden said as he paced back and forth in his room. "I suppose the only way we can get to the other books is if we draw out the enemy…"

"But if you draw attention to yourself, you'll find yourself in the same intense situation the original was in. I'm not sure that's smart. But then again, maybe you know better…"

"Ryuk, you underestimate me… Of course it is a risk. But they won't know it is me. All they will know is that Kira is back… All I have to do is prove it to them. Should be simple enough…"

"What do you mean?" I asked the boy as he tossed me an apple. "... Oh thanks, you're too nice to me, really you are…" _I wonder why he's so calm around me… I hate when people aren't scared of me. I'm a shinigami after all… oh well…_

"Well my father happens to be an investigator for the ICPO. So it is safe to assume he probably has some files on some of the most notorious criminals in his study. All I have to do is kill those criminals, and soon enough they'll show their face."  
"Just because… you draw them out," I replied as I munched on the apple happily, "doesn't mean you'll know where the other books are…"

"True… but it is the first step. And since you've established that you're not here to help me, I'm going to have to do this my way. And I've never been one to run away from a fight."

I followed Rain into his father's study and watched him as he went through some files. He found files on twelve criminals. With each file he looked at, a big grin came over him as if he was finding long lost treasure. It was interesting to watching him pile up the files until he had sufficient amount of profiles he needed. And then he took the files and walked to his own room as I closely followed behind.

"Hmm twelve criminals… two of which are in jail… the other ten are still at large but have been identified but have escaped custody… The other two will be out of prison in eight years. Strange, both were tried with murder charges. How they managed eight years is beyond me."

"Maybe they're innocent…" I said to him.

"No I'm pretty sure they're guilty. And even if they are not, they will serve a purpose."

"You'll kill them even if they might be innocent?"

"It is all for the greater good." Raiden said as he began to write down the names of the twelve criminals in the Death Note, an eerie smirk spread across his face. "Guilty or innocent, I will rid the world of those who do not deserve to live… I am the dark angel, the server of true justice… And these are the first to experience my judgment…"

With their names written, the twelve men profiled in the files before him became Raiden's first victims, thus transforming him in that moment into the new Kira. Across the world, twelve men in different places had heart attacks and collapsed to the floor. They died instantly…

It was not enough. Raiden knew it. And so without hesitation, he turned on the television and began writing down the names of criminals he saw on the news. Before long he had thirty-two names written on the Death Note. But he did not stop there. With greedy fingers and a crazed happy look on his face, he flipped through the channels and started writing down the names of people who had spoken out against Kira over the years. Corrupted officials who had escaped prosecution… and others that were rumored to have ties with the KLG but because they were in the spotlight and had political ties had been untouched by law enforcement and government agencies… Thus, within an hour Raiden had killed seventy-six people. This would not go unnoticed... As I watched him sit back on his chair and relax with a confident grin on his face, a simple thought came across me. _This kid… is fun…_

Two weeks passed. The deaths rose in that first week to three hundred. By the end of the second week, there were five hundred… And as the world began to suspect the return of Kira, so did the super detective known as N. He was older now. Laying on his bed in the dark, he watched the news as it seemed to exploit the possibility of Kira's return. People were calling into late night TV specials to discuss the recent climb in death tolls of criminals and more. Some praising him and asking him for his return to power, others cursing him and denying the very possibility of Kira even existing any more…

Suddenly the lights turned on. The bright lamps revealed Near's body on the bed attached to a respirator. A young man, looking perhaps in his late twenties, stood in the door with two cups of warm tea in his hands.

"My friend… you startled to me." N spoke through his breathing mask as he sat up. "Come in."

"It's him isn't it?" the young man replied as he walked over and handed N a cup of tea.

"Well… It is someone yes…" N replied as he took the cup of tea and pulled off his mask for a moment to take a sip. "As you know, Light Yagami is dead. This individual is particularly different from Light Yagami. He is overconfident… Overconfidence… is the only explanation… for this obvious attack on the criminals… as well as some of the more innocent victims… It is safe to say… that Kira has returned… or at least someone who wants to be him…"

"Frankly I thought of this already, Near." The young man said as he took a sip of his own tea. He helped N put his mask back on and placed N's tea cup next to his own on the night table next to the bed. "If this is indeed the work of a new Kira, it is safe to say that he must have a different view on what constitutes guilty. His victims especially the last week have not only been criminals but those have abused drugs, those on trial for accidents involving alcohol. Some of the more rich individuals who are known for their lack of charity… This man has quite a twisted sense of justice. In fact he might find himself to be the pathway to justice, a dark guardian angel…"

"You are wise beyond…your years… my young friend…" N said as he rested his head on his pillow. "Whoever he is… one thing is for certain… he is very immature in the way he thinks…"

"Perhaps… You may very well be correct. I have come to suspect the same. It seems we are looking for a young individual most likely. Much of this mentality comes from those who are young and feel that their life has been filled with injustice. And that true justice is what they make of it. It will most likely be someone who has had some sort of tragedy in their home. If it was someone who simply worshipped Kira, I doubt they would be so quick to alter the word of their 'God'. Yes, this person is quite immature and perhaps thinks he will be able to accomplish what Kira could not. He wants to be change the world… _for the better_… We will not allow this."

"My young friend… You are a much better detective… than I can ever hope to be... I shall assist you as best as I can in this investigation… but sincerely I think you have the intellect and skill to catch this Kira even if I were not helping…"

"Nonsense, Near… what I know I've learned from you and at Wammy's house. Even if what you say is true about your beliefs in my skills as an investigator, I don't think I would have ever been able to come this far had it not been for your teachings all these years. You are the real mind behind my intellect. Your legacy and that of L's is the reason for my being. That is the truth of my existence. Let us work together on this case, Near…"

Near coughed through his mask as he sat up and took his cup of tea. Once more he pulled the mask off to take a sip and then placed it back on the table. He turned to his young pupil and smiled. "Very well… O."

Raiden Ozaku had written over five hundred names in the first couple weeks. He had already made an interesting impression on the world. Everywhere rumors had begun to spread of the return of Kira. People were beginning to march the streets in celebration of the return of their God while others came out to voice their anger at Kira for killing people… Raiden's Kira had caused more turmoil in those first couple weeks.

"Ah a free day from school… what a relief… why you humans put yourself through that torture is beyond me."

"Today is my birthday Ryuk…" Raiden said with a grin as he stood up from bed. He was wearing blue jeans with no t-shirt on. His hair was a mess, although I suppose it would have looked attractive to a human girl considering Raiden was in quite good shape for his age. "Sixteen years of life… Starting today, I will begin the creation of a new world Ryuk…"

"Yeah okay, I'm going through withdrawal symptoms here…" I said as I flipped upside and twisted my legs. "Please Raiden… I was patient enough to wait till you woke up. Least you can do is help a guy out…"

"What is with you and apples?"

"I have a love hate relationship with them… I love to eat human apples. I hate the apples in the shinigami realm. Now if you're done interrogating me, will ya' give me a break? I haven't had a human apple in twenty-five years! No surprise I'm going crazy!"

"Fine," Rain replied, "come with me downstairs and I'll get you a damn apple!"

"Good. Now we're getting somewhere."

We walked downstairs. The two kids were watching television in the living room. Kyoko was in the kitchen. _Damn it… Now I have to wait till we get back in the room._ Raiden took a bowl of apples from the counter in the kitchen and turned to walk away. Unfortunately, my wait for Rain to get back to his room was prolonged when Kyoko noticed him.

"Good morning, Tiger. You're up before one o'clock on a day with no school. I'm shocked!"

"Kyoko… Not now. I'm tired." Raiden replied as he turned to walk away. "I may not be in school but I have very important exam tomorrow. I will be studying for most of the day. I expect you are going to be watching over the children until my father arrives today. He will arrive early today. So I suggest you do your job, leave me alone, and get on your way when he gets here."

"Well, I wanted to wish you happy birthday handsome." She said with a sarcastic tone in her voice. "Be nice and you might get a kiss ha! That or I can go wake Grandma Nataka, HAHA!"

_As appealing as that kiss from you might be, Kyoko, I'm quite tempted to write your name in my notebook instead right now…_ he thought to himself as he started up the stairs. We had just reached the top of the stairs when Kyoko called out to him again this time with a sense of excitement in her tone.

"Rain, come down here quick! Look at this! Hurry! Raiden! It's your dad! He's holding a press conference! It is something about Kira!"

Raiden ran down, but not before tossing an apple that fell straight into my mouth. I munched on it happily before following him down the stairs into the living room where Kyoko and the kids sat watching on the couch.

"Doesn't your dad look so distinguished on television, guys?"

"Yeah!" said Rei and Juno together.

"What is this?" Raiden whispered to me.

"How should I know?" I said with a chuckle. _I guess we drew them out… not bad…_

_Hmm… father…_ Raiden thought, trying to hide the smirk on his face_… if he's part of the investigation, then this might work to my advantage…_

_"Is this the work of Kira, Senior Agent Ozaku?"_

_"Do you currently have any suspects?"_

_Is this the work of Kira? Is the ICPO looking into any leads?" _

_"Is Kira really back?"_

_"Please… As my friend Chief Taiko Fujimoto of the NPA has already explained, we are opening up a new investigation on the recently confirmed deaths of what we are now reporting to be around five hundred and twenty-two individuals around the world. We have reason to believe the culprit is acting in the name of one known as Kira and is considered extremely dangerous. I, Raito Ozaku, Senior Agent representing Japan have been chosen to work as a liaison for ICPO to assist the Japanese police in the investigation.  
Once again, we have reason to believe that the culprit is acting in the name of one known as Kira… We also have started searching in other countries but we feel certain that he may be hiding here in Japan. I know perhaps some are wondering how we came to this conclusion. Simply put, the first fifty or so individuals were all from Japan. That is all I can say for now. More details may come to the public ear in time. To those watching at home, we ask that if you have any information you contact the Kira Investigation Unit here using the number provided on the bottom of the screen before you. Thank you."_

_"Sir, over here… Please, Agent Ozaku? Is the one known as N being sought out to assist in this investigation?"_

_"I can't answer that at this time… All I can say is that Kira will not return under my watch or anyone working beside me in this investigation... We will find you Kira… We will catch you… Your only hope is to turn yourself in before it is too late…"_

"Where are you going, Rain?" asked Kyoko as she watched Raiden walk back up the stairs.

When we entered the room he closed the door, placed the bowl of apples on the bed, and walked to his desk by the window. He sat down and looked out the window, pausing for what seemed like forever. Of course, I simply helped myself to the apples. And then he started to chuckle menacingly, until finally the laugh became a crazy laughter.

"The ICPO are fools…" He laughed as he opened up the Death Note and turned on the television. He changed the channels with one hand while with the other he wrote down names of criminals and individuals who were speaking out against Kira on the news. "They're all idiots! No one will ever be able to catch me! No one will ever stop me! And I'll prove it to them!"

"What are you doing?" I asked as I rested on his bed. "There's no need to kill all these people…"

"It's fine Ryuk… I'm no fool. I know exactly what I'm doing! Let them squirm as they witness my judgment! The judgment of Kira! HAHA HA HA! None can stop me! None will dare!"

After a half hour of writing names, Raiden turned to me with an evil smile.

"So Ryuk… Tell me about N…?"

"What do you want to know?" I managed to say as I swallowed the last of the apples.

"Who is he?" Raiden asked as he took the empty bowl away from me. "Should I be concerned about him? Seeing as the reporter felt the need to ask about him, it is clear that he is perhaps someone I should deal with. Give me his name."

"Raiden, I like you kid. But no way am I doing that. I can, however, tell you yes. He is someone to be concerned about. After all, he did in a sense beat the other Kira at his own game… Course, needless to say, he was by that time very overly confident in himself. Then again, _you_ don't have _that _problem _at all_. So I'm sure you'll be fine."

"So N was the one that caught Kira the last time… Good to know. Most likely he'll find himself in the investigation once more. I find it hard to believe he would pass up the opportunity to hunt down Kira again... Oh this is good, Ryuk. This is real good. He probably knows the location of the other notebooks. If I can just find out his name, I could manipulate him into bringing me… I mean us… the books… and then committing suicide afterwards. Hmm but how can I do that? I really can't count on your help can I?"

"Nope… I'm on the sidelines watching the first half with a box of popcorn… well, in this case apples… Like I said before, I just don't do the whole helping a human thing… it's just not me…"

"So I'm guessing if you see him, you aren't going to tell me it's him?"

"You are correct."

"Very well, I'll think of something... Damn, one o'clock! I told Aiyaka I'd take her shopping!"

"Oh your birthday? How generous of you Raiden…" I said to him as he quickly put on a black t-shirt and a black leather jacket on and grab a set of keys from his desk. "Aw… Girlfriend?"

We headed out his room and walked downstairs and out the door without as much as a glance at the children or Kyoko. When we got outside, he opened his garage and jumped on a black motorbike with flames on the sides and silver handles. _I gotta say… I like this kid…_


	3. Alliances Are A Killer

Alliances Are A Killer

Raiden walked beside a young blond girl with bright green eyes to a picnic table in the park we had arrived at. Her name was Aiyaka Akira. She was fourteen years old though her body could very well have been confused for an eighteen year old's… I found myself relieved that we had finished shopping. I was getting tired of walking around. It was quite annoying to fly after his motorbike too. In short, I was thankful for the period of rest that Raiden had finally presented me. The girl herself was quite beautiful, I could see what Raiden probably saw in her. But when she began to speak the first time, I began to question his taste in women. If I were him I would have considered Kyoko. As we finally sat at the table for a lovely picnic, I found myself annoyed by her.

"Oh, Rain baby, isn't it like so cool that like Kira is back?" Aiayaka said with that cute voice of hers that I was surprised had not become annoying to Raiden. "He's come back… with a bang too! Did you watch the news this morning!? Your dad was on and everything! I hope Kira doesn't kill your dad!"

"Oh I was wondering when you'd mention that." Raiden replied as he stared at a group of kids playing baseball on the grassfield. "By your expression, I suppose you agree with Kira."

"Don't you, I mean like come on! He is so awesome! He is a God, the pinnacle of justice!"

"Well …" Raiden said. His mind was racing… _If she worships him, who's to say she wouldn't be willing to join him? I'm sure if she knew I was Kira, she would undoubtedly devote every waking minute of her life to my will… Hmm… seems appealing, but she isn't necessarily useful…_ "I suppose I can agree. Kira does seem to symobalize a version of justice close to my own idea of justice… and don't trouble yourself with my father, I have a feeling Kira won't be doing anything to him…"

"If you met Kira, what would you say to him?" Aiayaka asked him as she pulled out two sandwhiches from her lunchbag. I brought sandwiches! But no eating to you answer my question!"

"Ha ha!" I exclaimed with laughter. "You just have to look in the mirror and say good morning me!"

_Shut your mouth Shinigami…_ Raiden thought as he tried to keep a smile on his face.

"Hello… Earth to Rain! Answer my question, get a free sandwich!" laughed Aiyaka as she waved the sandwich in front of the boy's face. "Free sandwich, baby!"

"I'd ask him… why he wasn't there to save my mom…" Raiden said as he glanced over at me. It seemed in some way, perhaps his own intuition talking, that he suspected I knew something about his mother's death. "That's probably what I'd say…"

Aiyaka's smile faded from her face as she placed the sandwich in front of Raiden.

"Um… so why did you bring your backpack?" the girl said, trying to change the topic of discussion. "You never use to bring your backpack when we went out, Rain… we went out three times this week and each time you brought that darn packpack… why?"

Raiden looked down at his backpack at the side of the table. "Let's just say… I have a few things I can't do without…" _the Death Note in particular… which reminds me… I have work to do…_

The next couple weeks brought about the continuous deaths of more criminals, but also others who had not committed any crimes yet were viewed by many as public nuisances. Beggars, drug addicts, bullies, and other individuals who had been on the news or had otherwise had their identities made public in some way shape or form. In a time where information was spread throughout the internet, it was easy for Kira's judgment to spread. And the police were getting nowhere in their investigation. It seemed Kira had made his comeback… there was no denying it now… they were infact dealing with a new set of Kira murders…

In an investigation room set with many computers and TV screens, a large team of investigators tried to track down any leads and investigate every call from those claiming to be Kira. It had only been two weeks since the investigation had begun on the new string of deaths and suicides, yet no solid leads had been presented. The police were becoming unnerved by the thought of another Kira and some had begun to leave the task force for fear of their own lives.

"Agent Ozaku," spoke a detective, "we found out from an unconfirmed source that the death of Lain Horutio was in fact a heart attack. We're looking at the possibilities of toxins in the body possibly contributing to his untimely demise."

Raito Ozaku was a handsome older gentleman. He had short black hair, and wore a dark grey suit with a red tie and dark brown shoes. Often times he wore the dark grey fedora that was placed next to the key board on the desk he sat on, but at the moment Raito seemed content with not wearing it considering that air conditioner was not functioning.

"Very good. Keep me posted." Raito replied as he turned to a monitor screen and began to type something on the keyboard in front of him. "Chief Fujimoto, can you come here a moment?"

"Yes I'm coming…" called out the chief detective as he stood from a table of investigators and rushed over to the agent's desk. He was tall and scruffy looking, with a dark brown suit and brown shoes. "What is it?"

"I have been contacted by a man named O who says he works for Near and is willing to assist us in the investigation. I have to admit the idea of working with Near or an associate of his is quite appealing but we have to do it in secret. If we were to reveal to the world that we were now working with Near, no doubt Kira would be very displeased and attempt an attack on the police. Of course, I am asking your opinion, Chief."

"Well, it is true that Near would be a great asset," Taiko Fujimoto replied, "but if he or his associate come in here and try to take over my investigation, I can assure you I will not stand for it! Kira is mine to catch, mine alone!"

"Oh yes, I forgot… Kira killed your father when you were young." Raito said as he looked up at Taiko. "Strange that the deputy chief has allowed your involvement in this case."

"Sir." An older gentleman came rushing in. "Near and O have arrived!"

"What!?" Taiko exclaimed as he turned angrily towards Raito. "Damn agents! Why ask if you're going to invite them to join the investigation any way!?"

"I assure you," Raito replied as he stood up, "I did no such thing! I am surprised as you are!"

"I invited them…" The voice was that of an older gentleman standing at the door way. He was clean shaven with black hair and wore a black suit and tie. He walked into the room, followed by two men. One was in a wheel chair, the other simply walking. The one in the wheel chair wore a white shirt and jeans and had white hair covering his face. On the back of his wheel chair was an oxygen tank which pumped air through the mask on his face. The other man seemed younger though his face was barely recognizable. He had messy white hair that was slightly noticeable under the black hood of the hooded sweatshirt he wore. He had black jeans and wore a torn glove on his right hand.

"Who are you people?" Raito asked as politely as he could.

"Who the hell are you!?" Taiko yelled.

"The chief asked you a question!" yelled a young woman detective.

"Please refrain from yelling…" spoke the hooded man. "Taiko Fujimoto and Ayame Shuchito…"

"Who is this punk?" Taiko demanded. "Who are you guys!? What the hell is going on here!?"

"I am O." answered the hooded man. "Before you continue asking pointless questions, I'll go right ahead and answer everything you need to know. Whatever I do not say is not because it is forgotten but simply because it is not important at the very moment… As I said, I am O. The gentleman to my right is FBI Senior Agent Touta Matsuda. Your leaders have requested the help of the FBI in the Kira investigation and so Agent Matsuda has been elected to be the leader of the team of agents who will be working alongside you in what I hope is a short time of excellent police work. The gentleman in the wheelchair is none other than Near. He has contracted a lung disease which attacks his respiratory system. But that is not why we are here…"

"Touta Matsuda, who has had much experience in these matters and was in fact one of the men that ultimately caught Kira alongside my mentor, has decided to hand over the case to Near and Near, feeling confident in my skills, has chosen me to take over for him. In short, it seems I will now be your lead investigator in this case."

"Near will be serving as my mentor as always, but I assure you that my investigative skills are quite unmatched. Now first thing… Hello Raito Ozaku, it is quite a pleasure to meet you sir. Your reputation as an appointed investigator for the ICPO has served to demonstrate to me that you are perfect for this investigation… Thank you Taiko Fujimoto for your understanding, I promise you I want nothing more than to catch Kira together. This is not a power struggle gentlemen. We will work together to catch Kira. And in the end, justice will prevail…"

"Thus, my next order of busines is to ask you if you would so kindly find a place for myself and Near to sit so that we may begin to conduct our own investigation into these deaths…"

"Umm…" Chief Fujimoto said. "There's an office in the back… Miss Shuchito will take you…"

"Right this way, gentlemen." Ayame told them as she walked towards the back of the room to the office that would now be occuppied by the three investigators.

"Thank you…" O replied as he walked passed a stunned Raito Ozaku and Taiko Fujimoto, and followed Ayame to the office. "Oh yes… some tea would be nice if you have any…"

Raiden was sitting at his desk smiling as he stared down at the hundreds of names he had written. Two weeks had passed since the picnic with Aiyaka. Raiden Ozaku had not stop writing names in the notebook those entire two weeks. It was night outside and the beginning of summer vacation. I was relieved not to have to attend another one of those boring lectures that seemed to plague every class Raiden attended throughout the year.

"So…" I interrupted his evil snickering. "Want to play a game or something?"

"No time for games today, Ryuk. I want to finish my judgment of ten more. I've been attempting to place my judgment in five different patterns. It makes it easier to judge secretively. I grabbed too much attention. I need to be more careful as I judge my victims."

"_Judge_… Interesting choice of words… Don't you mean kill?"

"Yes Ryuk… but the world kill seems so evil. And I am not trying to do evil! I am changing the world for the better. I am ridding the world of those who are guilty of crime… but most of all, I'm ridding the world of those who are unworthy of the life they have been given! Those who are not appreciating their lives nor respecting the lives of others must perish!

"Those who have taken their lives for granted… those who have wasted their lives, those who simply do not deserve to live! I am making the world a better place by cleansing it of the unworthy… Therefore, Ryuk… I have no time for games… But I do have some apples in the cooler by the TV… You may help yourself… I should be done shortly…"

"Did you say apples!?" I exclaimed happily as I rushed to the cooler. "Don't mind if I do!"

As I juggled a bunch of apples and ate each one by one, Raiden Ozaku stood up and held the book to the light with a smile on his face.

"I suppose I should thank you, Ryuk, for bringing me this notebook. With it I am changing the future. I am rewriting history as I see fit. With each name, I am creating a new world filled with those who are worthy to experience its pleasures. All those who are unworthy of life, all those who do evil onto others, they will no longer plague us."

"Well, you'll be the only evil left…" I said to him as I swallowed the last apple.

"What are you saying?" Raiden laughed. "I am an angel of justice. I am the savior of the world."

_Figures… another one with crazy ideals… still, he's amusing me…_

"Why don't we watch some television, Rain?" I asked as I moved towards the TV. "You could kill… I mean _judge_ a few extra people and be entertained at the same time…"

"Good idea, Ryuk. Let's go downstairs though. It is nearly dinner time."

"Very well… But I'll want another apple later…"

He took the notebook and put it in his backpack and placed the bag over his shoulder as he walked to the door. _I suppose he is not willing to be apart from the Death Note. He's cautious. Reckless and cautious… interesting mix… it's good to be cautious… his reckless side might be a problem though… Light Yagami was smart, but reckless… He made too many mistakes…_

We went downstairs to the living room. Rei and Juno were playing a board game in the living room as Kyoko sat reading a book on the couch. Though I'm not human, it was clear to me that Raiden was quite shocked that she was wearing one of those sleeveless shirts that females often wore when comfortable… nothing more than thing strings holding up the thin shirt that barely covered her chest… and there were the shorts she wore barely covered her thighs. In a word, she looked quite attractive just then. And I don't believe Raiden could deny it.

"Um what are you doing?" Raiden asked as he sat down and turned on the television.

"Reading, silly." Kyoko replied as her fingers rubbed the top of her chest. "You know that thing you do when you want to fill your mind with knowledge…"

"What are you reading?" Raiden asked her as he placed his bag next to the couch.

Can me and Juno go play on the computer?" Rei asked, scratching his short brown hair.

"Sure honey… Dinner will be ready in an hour though alright?"

"YAY!" the two kids shouted as they ran off. As they did this, they kicked the backpack that Raiden had placed by the couch. The bag was half open and the notebook fell out. As much as I wanted to say something, I decided to keep my mouth shut and see what happens. And sure enough something happened that changed things for Raiden Ozaku. _It seems that Raiden Ozaku is not as cautious as I originally had thought… ha… this should be interesting… _

Several minutes passed. Raiden was flipping through the channels on the television when Kyoko decided to stand up and start walking to the kitchen. As she walked she noticed the notebook on the floor. The book was facing up and she could see the words Death Note clearly written on the top. And to my very delight she leaned over and picked it up.

"Hey, Rain, what is this?" She asked as she opened the book.

Raiden turned and saw what she was holding in her hands. With horror of the consequences of her discovery of the Death Note, clear frustration at himself for being so careless, and probably great rage towards me for not telling him, he jumped and rushed to grab the notebook.

"Hey! What's your-" and then she noticed me, and all she could do was scream. "AAH! What… What is that!? OH MY GOD! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"Kyoko… shut up!" Raiden yelled as he held her down and covered her mouth. She kept screaming through his hand while he tried to explain the situation as best he could.

"Kyoko Takamo… You need to calm down… The being you see before you is a shinigami… a god of death… He is the owner of the Death Note…"

Kyoko's cries were muffled with Raiden's hand as he held tight to keep her from bringing the children downstairs with her screams. But through the muffled cries, Raiden managed to hear her say, "Shinigami?"

"What are you gonna do now, Raiden?" I mocked. "You gonna kill her? Write her name down?"

"Shut up… Yes, Kyoko, a shinigami… his name is Ryuk. Years ago he dropped his notebook from the Shinigami realm into the real world. This notebook… the Death Note gives the person who uses it the power to kill people simply by writing their name in it… When he dropped it, the Shinigami's notebook ended up in the hands of an individual… this individual became known as Kira… He used the power of the Death Note to attempt to change the world…"

"His vision was great, but he lacked conviction and therefore, he was eventually caught… and although Ryuk has not explained to me, I suspect was killed. Either by those who caught him, or by Ryuk himself… either way, Kira died before his dream could be realized. I am Kira now…"

Kyoko's whimpers had finally subsided. And so Raiden let her go and stood up, the notebook in his hand and myself hovering over his shoulder. The two of us looked down at Kyoko who in turn looked up at us. Her expression had changed. She was no longer afraid. In fact, she had an eerie smile on her face, one of excitement.

"I've always loved you… Kira…" She said as she stood up. She walked up to Raiden and kissed him passionately. When she was done, she looked him in the eyes and said, "I'll do anything for you… Kira… anything…" and with that, Raiden had inadvertently found himself an apprentice.

Meanwhile, O sat at a desk staring at the list of recent deaths in the last month. Near sat staring out the window as storm clouds had begun to cover the once blue skies of the city outside… Darkness was creeping into the world again. O and N were sure that somewhere in the files were the necessary pieces of evidence needed to find Kira. The evidence was all set before them in pictures and rows of files. All they had to do was think of all the possible patterns that were not obvious to the police…something that O was very good at doing…He was always good at solving puzzles. He was by far one of the best code breakers in the world. And N knew that he break this code… In his mind, O tried to make sense of the sporadic killings of Kira…  
_Who are you Kira? What is your motive? Light Yagami strived to make the world a better place. But he was not killing innocent. At least not unless he had to… You on the other hand… you are different. You do not blink at the thought of killing individuals who are innocent so long as they meet criteria that you yourself know. But why, what do you hope to achieve in the end? Light Yagami's ultimate goal was to rule a perfect world made in his image of perfection, and he would rule that world as a God. In short, he nearly succeeded were it not for his overconfidence and carelessness. I know I said you were overconfident. But you may just be very smart. _

_I find it astonishing how random your murders are. Some are killed by suicide. Some die of heart attacks. Others drug overdose… Oh yes, don't think I did not notice you adding drug overdose to your method of killing. Drowning as well… there have been twenty-two unexplained drowning victims in the last week. There was also a man heading a faction of the KLG that gathered his whole gang for a meeting at his home and then detonated a bomb, killing all twenty-two of them... Wait… Twenty-two...? _

_You're creating patterns, your testing the Death Note, aren't you? It would explain why there have been fewer heart attacks from last week… Wait… there were twenty-two over the weekend… You're doing five patterns… separating each type… criminals… corrupt… unworthy… diseased… and ENEMIES… you're killing people you hate aren't you? But why do you hate them?_

_Is this it? This man… Daren Karts… An American… but he use to work for the ICPO… Why did you kill him? Wait… He worked for Raito Ozaku before… Could this be it? Kira… I'm coming for you…_


	4. He Who Strikes First

He Who Strikes First

_Do whatever I want…?_ Raiden thought to himself the following day after Kyoko Takamo proclaimed her devotion to him. _What could possibly be the reason for this? She's crazy… I mean yes she's beautiful but beauty does not hold any value in the path which I am on. What if she turned on me? She could easily tell me her father. He's a military general… I should just kill her… She may be too dangerous to be kept around…_

"Thinking about killing Kyoko?" I asked him as I hovered over his shoulder. There he was sitting at his desk. I knew as well as he did that Kyoko would be coming over in an hour to take care of the children while his father was away. "She did say she'd do anything for you…"

"Yes, but she just up and devoted herself to me…" Raiden replied, looking out the window at the dawn. "It is bad enough that the amount of attention has yet to bring out our enemies. They remain hidden in the shadows which makes it impossible to find the other notebooks."

"Good things take time, kid." I said to him. "Look at me. I'm a Shinigami, and I'm not complaining… you should take that as a sign not to worry."

"But I do worry! Sure people are starting to believe in Kira. But there are a whole lot who don't believe in me. And if I keep killing in patterns like I have, it will only make me seem rather methodical and crude. I am an angel of justice…"

"Why did you kill those twenty-two people last month then? I don't think that was justice."

"Who? Friends who betrayed me. The teacher who tortured me last year and forced me to return for summer sessions… that man Daren Karts, who was there the night my mother was killed… those people deserved to die. They had defied the angel of justice. They had made a fool out of me! They ruined my life! I punished them for their crimes!"

"I do believe that was a bit personal if I do say so myself." I laughed.

"So what!? I am the angel of Justice! And it is my justice that I wish to impose on the world! Furthermore, I do not need lectures from you! I will do as I please!"

"In exchange for finding my notebooks…" I told him as I pulled an apple from the cooler by the television. "Let's not forget that…"

"I don't see why you can't just tell me who Near is… If I knew his name… but fine, I suppose I must do things myself. Leave it to a God of death to disappoint."

"Glad you see it my way." I replied sarcastically as I devoured the apple happily. I watched him open the Death Note and turn on the television. And for the next hour, his pen did the talking.

The time went by quickly. After saying goodbye to his father, Raiden and Kyoko left the children downstairs watching television and went to his bedroom. She walked in first and sat on his bed. She was wearing what a human would consider a very attractive short black skirt that barely covered her and topped it off with a red lace shirt held up by a thin string strap. Clearly she was attempting to look good for her new 'guardian angel'.

"Hi Ryuk…" She said to me.

"Um hello…" I replied awkwardly. "Um... Raiden, I'm not trying to be a jerk here... But I'm gonna need a lot of apples!"

"It's time you explain yourself." Raiden said as he closed the door and turned to face her. "What is this business about you doing anything for me? What's the catch? Why did you kiss me? Start talking before I decide to just write your name in my little book."

"No need, Rain." Kyoko replied as she rested on the bed. "Where would you like me start?"

"The beginning would be nice. You're testing my patience."

"Kira was the reason I am alive today. I owe him my very existence."

"Is that so?" I replied as Raiden tossed me an apple. "What do you know…he saved a life without knowing it… wait, you're young? You weren't alive then were you?"

"You're right Ryuk." Raiden said as he turned to face Kyoko again. "You're not making sense.

"Please." Kyoko replied as she sat up and looked up at Raiden. "Let me finish… My father was chief executive operator of the ICPO special investigation unit so he worked late nights. My mother was home alone pregnant with me. My mother was an actress back then. She starred in a few small roles. Nothing that special… but for someone, she became an obsession."

She took a deep breath. "He broke into the house. He tried to kill my mother. But my mother ran out the door as fast as she could. He began to chase her, but within seconds he fell down of a heart attack and my mother was saved, thus allowing me to live… Years later my mother and father told me this story… by then I had learned of Kira at school, and was convinced until today that it was Kira who had made it possible. I can not be certain, but that is what I believe and from the moment I believed in him I became his willing servant. I knew that one day he would return and that he would tell me he loved me… for that is why he saved me and my mother that day… and now I know you are Kira, I pledge myself to you… Command me, my love…"

_Love…? hmm I might have use for her devotion…_

"Very well," Kira replied, "your father… he is retired is he not?"

"Yes…" She replied as she stood and face Kira. "But he still has contacts at the Special Investigation Unit of the ICPO."

"Excellent, just what I was thinking…" Raiden said with an evil grin.

"What are you thinking, Raiden?" I asked as I hovered in front of him. "Are you going to try to find N's name by using her father's connections? Seeing as your father does not bring work concerning Kira home with him, it's safe to say N is being very careful."

"No Ryuk. I doubt my plan will reveal N's name. The numerous deaths I've presented the Kira Investigation unit at the ICPO have not provoked them enough. But if I can get the names of at least ten special investigators, particularly those that are involved in the Kira investigation, it will no doubt bring out force them out of defense and into offense. They will be force to retaliate in some way. We draw them out, and we get on step closer to obtaining the other death notes… He who strikes first wins, Ryuk… Kyoko, I'm going to need your help on this…"

"What is your will, my love…?" Kyoko replied with a smile.

Aiyaka Akira was walking down the street, humming a tune on the way to a store to shop for some new clothes and shoes. She was wearing a school girl outfit with a pink tie and ponytails, looking rather like a cute little girl. She turned into an alley to cut to the other side of the buildings to get to the shopping mall quicker. She would have taken a bus, but she preferred walking since she had just left a shop nearby and did not wish to waste money on a short ride to the mall. As she walked down the alley, she thought of her boyfriend Raiden.

_Oh how I love him… he's so perfect… Why am I so lucky to get a guy like him? I must be the luckiest girl in the-_ Suddenly her thought was interrupted when something hit her head.  
She fell to the floor in shock. But when she finally looked around to see what had struck her, she was surprised to find that the object was nothing more than a black notebook. She looked up towards the roofs of the buildings but could see nothing that would indicate some had dropped it and yet somehow it had fallen on her head.

"Strange… What the hell is a notebook falling on my head for?" she asked herself out loud. "I'm so cute, I can't like have things hitting me. It would defeat the purpose of me being so cute!"

She walked over to the book and picked it up. She turned. It read 'Death Note'. She looked within the pages and thought to herself. _Death Note… Weird… That's like saying its some kind of haunted book… ha… haunted books don't exist silly… Come on Aiyaka, just put down the book and go get yourself a new pair of those cute shoes you saw in that magazine. That should make me feel like a queen. If I ever find out who threw a book at my head I'll-_

"AH!" She screamed as she noticed the figure now hovering above her. "What the hell are you!? Get away from me! Get away! AH! Help-"

The figure grabbed her and covered her mouth. It had long furry arms with claw-like fingers. Its face looked like a female human skeleton while its body looked like a burnt skeleton. Its long legs were skinny but furry like his arms. It had no eyes in his eye sockets and yet somehow it seemed to be staring right at her as her muffled whimper subsided.

"My name is Nao... Do not fear me, Aiyaka." It said to her. "Would you like to change the world, my young friend? For in your hand… you hold the power to do so… the Death Note…"

Meanwhile back at the Kira Investigation Unit at the ICPO, O and N were sitting in a room looking through profiles of all who have claimed to be Kira or who have expressed devotion to Kira in the past. N and O both believed that their suspect was not among the profiles, but among the police. After his deduction, O had approached N with the theory and the two had agreed that if it has happened before it can very well happen again. Under N's direction, O had ordered a secret investigation into the police officers in the Kira Investigation, using private investigators under the employment of Near and O. As the two looked through the profiles, their intentions were to exclude each and every profile so that they can present the unit with sufficient results. But then they came across one individual that was indirectly connected. Just as the two of them stared at each other with the same theory in their minds, there was a knock on the door. Taiko walked in. Touta Matsuda walked in behind them with Investigator Raito Ozaku.

"What is it gentlemen?" O spoke softly as he drank a cup of tea with milk and sugar.

"We looked in on the possibility that the kills were all personal agendas." Touta Matsuda replied. "Ozaku and Taiko's men have made files on all known associates of the profiles we presented to you earlier."

"As you wished," Raito added as he stepped forward to face O and N, "we did not exclude anyone over the age of thirteen. Although most on the team doubt it could be a young individual, we were able to exclude two hundred and forty-two individuals and have narrowed down the potential suspects to fifty. Twenty of which are between the ages of twenty-five and thirteen… We have sent all these profiles to your system accounts."

"Thank you, Raito… and Taiko…" O said. "Your team is an essential asset to our investigation."

"Yes… It is… quite helpful…" N stated. "Please… be sure to spread… our appreciation…"

"No problem." Taiko spoke with hostility present in his voice. "Is there anything else you need?"

"That will be all, gentlemen." O said as he continued to drink his tea with milk and sugar. He added more sugar as he watched the detectives begin to leave. "Matsuda, please stay…"

The others left while Matsuda remained behind. The door closed behind him as he stepped forward towards the table and waited to be addressed by one of the two super investigators. At first, O continuing pouring sugar from sugar packets into a new cup of tea while Near simply sat staring into space. After about fifteen sugar packets, O poured some milk from a small milk pot into his cup, looked up, and faced Matsuda with a grin.

"So, my friend," O said, "Near and I are curious as to the results of our more secretive investigation. What sort of information has been collected on those involved in the investigation, particularly Raito Ozaku?"

"Well, first of all," Matsuda confronted them, "I don't appreciate being used to spy on those around us. I mean I understand. It is very possible that it can happen again that someone in the investigation is Kira or for that matter someone who might be associated or even related to someone associated with this investigation. Still, even though I'm willing to work for you Near, and your assistant O, it is very-"  
"Matsuda, if you would please…" Near interrupted. "I know your heart… is pure and that all this… comes from a genuine place, but alas… I don't have time for this… O asked you a question… and… for the record… O is more… than a simple associate of mine. He is… in all definitions of the phrase… my equal… my friend… if you'd prefer… my successor… now… if you would be so kind as to answer the question…"

"I'm sorry." Matsuda said to Near and then turned to O to reply to his question. "My apologies… So from what our investigators have been able to gather, there are at least three families with adamant Kira supporters… Detective Daichi Yakumo, Detective Akumi Sasako, and Raito Ozaku… Daichi's family has a son named Hachi. Hachi is a known member of the KLG. He has been cut off by his parents. His whereabouts unknown at the moment…"

"How about the other detective, Sasako?" O asked as he pulled out a tea pot from the table behind him and poured himself another cup of tea. He then proceeded to pour sugar and milk into the cup. He grabbed a cup from the other table and poured yet another and passed it to Near who took it with little milk and only four packets of sugar. "Would you like some?"

"No. I'm fine…" Matsuda replied. "As for Sasako, his daughter was once suspended from school a few years back for claiming to be Kira to a group of girls bullying her. Needless to say they stopped bullying her, but their fear spread to their parents who reached out to the dean of the school. Thus her suspension… She has had other experiences involving a KLG friend and a Kira Underground worshiping cult which she joined last year."

"Ah very well… we will look into those two, but I doubt they are the one we're looking for. Now, about Raito Ozaku… what can you tell us about him and his family?"

Matsuda cleared his throat as O handed him a cup of tea.

"Thank you…" he said as he took a sip of the tea. "Very good tea… Well, Mr. Ozaku is a distinguished member of the ICPO Special Investigation Unit. He has never been a Kira supporter and has continued his fight against KLG and other secret Kira organizations over the year, especially after the death of his wife many years ago. He has three children."

"Two of them are adopted young ones, under the ager of twelve and a son from his late wife. He just turned sixteen. His son is an average student, though an IQ exam that he participated in last year at an Intellectual Excellence of Japan Festival scored the young man at one hundred and forty-one. He's clearly very intelligent, especially for his age, but obviously lacks the motivation to excel in school. There is no known knowledge of his thoughts on Kira, other that he once wrote an essay in school about the Kira murders. In the essay, there was no evidence of support for Kira. He ultimately seems indifferent, but I suspect he is like his father."

"Stop…" Near placed his cup on the table. He looked at O. The two had the same thought in mind. "Ozaku's son… has become our main suspect…"

"What? Based on what!?" Matsuda exclaimed. "How can you just choose someone based on a profile? Especially one as clean as his…"

"Because, Matsuda…" O replied, exposing his smiling face. His green eyes twinkled as the light hit them. "Near and I have already suspected that Ozaku or someone close to him is involved. He hasn't noticed this but certain individuals from his past have died recently…"

"That doesn't mean anything…" Matsuda argued.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken." O continued to speak as Near took a drink of his own tea. "It does mean something. We noticed a pattern recently…"

"Kira has been killing in patterns recently to try to throw off the investigation. But he added enemies into his patterns, thus providing us with the much needed advantage in our battle against Kira. From our own side of the investigation, Near and myself have been able to identify forty-two individuals who were connected to Raito Ozaku in the past. Five of them were at the trial of the man who was accused of killing the boy's mother. Three others were in the jury. One of them was an American man who was there the night Mrs. Ozaku died. The other thirty-five were people who had somehow wronged the family inadvertently. Two of which were family members from Mrs. Ozaku's side of the family which had benefitted from her death…"

"While I admit some of my suspicion is based on pure conjecture, it is usually the most unsuspecting individual that has the most to hide. And I personally, from what you have just told me, am convinced that Ozaku's son could be Kira. An essay that neither confirms nor denies the possibility that he supports Kira… an intellect that surpasses many his age and yet he does not find motivation to use that intellect to succeed in his academic career… all this adds to the level of suspicion… which stands at three at this moment…"

"We should prepare," Near said as he twirled his finger through his white hair, "if we have come up… with this conclusion… it is safe to assume… that our suspect is already planning his move… We must make the first move…"

"But should I go and tell the others?" Matsuda asked them. "What about Mr. Ozaku? If I tell him his son is suspected, there's no telling what he might say or do…"

"If it were seven, I assure you we would not even be having this conversation. The boy would already be in prison… I am merely saying he is under suspicion… What's the boy's name?"

"Raiden Ozaku…" Matsuda replied as he handed O a picture of the young man.

O looked at the picture, his green eyes looking into the boy's eyes. "He who strikes first… wins."


End file.
